Genetic Variability and Scope of Response to Selection in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

The present investigation was carried out in randomized block design with three replications during Rabi season of 2020-21 to judge the extent of genetic variability and scope of selection among thirty-two genotypes including two checks of tomato Narendra Tomato-4 (NDT-4) & Narendra Tomato -7(NDT-7) for fourteen characters. In present study the analysis variance showed that all the treatments were significantly different for all the characters. Which, indicates wide range of genetic variability among the available genotypes. On the basis of mean performance, five genotypes namely NDT-28, NDT-29, NDT-30, NDT-32 and NDT-P were promising ones. High genotypic (GCV) and phenotypic (PCV) coefficient of variations were recorded for plant height, number of primary branches, polar diameter of fruit, equatorial diameter of fruit, locules per fruit, average fruit weight, marketable fruit yield per plant and total fruit yield per plant. Moderate genotypic coefficients of variation and phenotypic coefficients of variation were estimated for ascorbic acid content, number of fruits per plant and pericarp thickness. In contrast, low environment coefficient of variation was found for all the characters. High heritability (broad sense) coupled with high genetic advance in per cent of mean was observed for plant height, equatorial diameter of fruit, locules per fruit, pericarp thickness, average fruit weight, number of fruits per plant, marketable fruit yield per plant and total fruit yield per plant. Thus, ample variability is there and selection will be effective among the available germplasm of tomato.